The stage is set for the Stanley Cup Final. The Carolina Hurricanes secured their spot with a convincing win over the Montreal Canadiens in Game 5. They will now face the Vegas Golden Knights. However, both teams have shunned their conference championship trophies, raising questions about which superstition might backfire.
This age-old belief cautions against touching the conference championship trophies. For the Eastern Conference, it’s the Prince of Wales Trophy. The Western Conference has the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl. The rationale is simple—they are not the ultimate prize. The Stanley Cup holds that honor.
There are countless examples that defy this superstition. Some teams have avoided touching the conference trophy yet lost. Others have embraced it and won. This adds a unique twist for the Golden Knights and Hurricanes, as they both have similar records regarding this tradition.
Golden Knights’ Trophy Tradition
Vegas Captain Mark Stone avoided touching the Clarence Campbell Bowl. He did the same in a prior season when Vegas won the Stanley Cup by beating the Florida Panthers. In their inaugural season in 2018, however, then-captain Deryk Engelland touched and even lifted the trophy. They lost in the Cup Final, putting Vegas at a 1-1 record in this respect. Touching it led to a loss; not touching it led to a win.
Hurricanes’ History with Trophies
Meanwhile, Carolina is making its third Stanley Cup Final appearance. In 2002, Captain Ron Francis touched the Prince of Wales Trophy after beating the Toronto Maple Leafs. They lost to the Detroit Red Wings in the Final, but that loss is often attributed to the strength of Detroit’s roster rather than superstition. Stars like Yzerman, Hull, and Lidstrom were on that team.
In 2006, the Hurricanes went trophy-free post-Game 7 against the Buffalo Sabres. They triumphed over Edmonton Oilers to claim the Stanley Cup. Now, in 2026, advice from their head coach might have influenced their decision to avoid the trophy again.
As these two teams head into battle on Tuesday night in Raleigh, the outcome of this superstition remains to be seen. One team will inevitably break the trend. Stay tuned to see which strategy prevails.
Matthew Reigle contributed to this report for OutKick.